Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter, all rights reserved to J. K. Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing. Neither do I own Grimm's Fairy Tales, which solely belongs to Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. This is a not for profit, fan told story, written in conjunction with A Grimm Challenge.
Please remember to leave a review, as I live off constructive criticism!
The Golden Key
A poor boy who has to work outside, conveniently finds a little golden key. A Harry Potter tale.
In the winter time, when snow lay on the ground, a poor boy was forced to work outside. With neither a coat nor a hat, poor little Harry Potter would face the harsh climate of Britain and combat against the chilling winds. For hours he would toil away at the snow, scraping every surface of the pathway, until the concrete ground shown through. The neighbours, having seen the boy shovelling the snow, soon convinced the Dursleys to have him clear their houses too.
Harry shivered again as he rubbed his hands together. Although he was freezing cold he wished not to go home, as more labour would wait for him at the house. He wanted to get away from the harsh weather, light a fire and warm himself a little. So great was his desire for warmth, that sparks began to fly from his hands, the friction creating more than just body heat. Harry's eyes opened in astonishment and began to rub faster. Hot sparks jumped from his hands and ignited the ground below. Spreading quickly the fire melted the snow and left a blackened trail behind.
Such magic had occurred before from young Harry, often in times of great need. He smiled brightly down at the new path, warmed by the glow of the heated stone. A small gleam caught his eye as he peered around at his masterpiece. He had found a tiny golden key. Looking at the deserted street of Privet Drive, he wondered who it could belong to. As he pondered his discovery, a trail of gold weaved from the key, snaking around the melted pathway and leading off far into the distance.
Such curiosity had always been a flaw for Harry, finding that his inquisitiveness often led to trouble. He knew instinctively that this path led to the lock, which belonged to the key. Walking quickly forward, the golden tendrils of dust danced around him, guiding him towards their treasure. Finally Harry came to a clearing; he figured that he must've hiked into the local park. He squinted to his right and could make out the slopes of the playground, glistening white, under a fresh layer of snow.
The golden strands slowly faded away, leaving Harry standing alone at the base of an old oak tree. His chest jumped in excitement as he knelt down on the wet snow. He dug into the ground until he unearthed an iron chest. It looked like a safety deposit box, clearly hidden away from prying eyes. There were no intricate details, nor any name engraved. However this didn't make it any less special to Harry.
He quickly placed the box upon his lap and looked for the lock to fit his key. Thoughts of precious jewels and amazing trinkets filled his mind, as he searched for the allusive keyhole. At last he discovered one, but is was so small, it was hardly visible.
Harry's hand shook with anticipation as he gently placed the key inside. It fit perfectly! He then turned it round once and opened the lid. Lying inside were mounds of cash, bound together by elastic bands. Harry was ecstatic; he could afford his own things now! He could buy rations and other necessities to last him though the years with the Dursleys. It was his little secret, less they take it away from him.
If Harry had been older maybe he would have questioned where the cash had come from. The police were baffled as small amounts of counterfeit money were slowly entered into the system. Unable to pinpoint the spender, they rounded up several known suspects. It was later discovered that a stash was buried in the park but was never retrieved, thought to be lost underground. The men were convicted, then sent to jail, whilst little Harry Potter enjoyed his new coat.